Marriage Amendment

I previously posted this to my movie blog on November 22, 2008:

During the election there was an item on the California ballot that would define marriage as between a man and a woman and overturn a Supreme Court ruling. The law was known as Proposition 8. The Mormon church campaigned on this issue and urged voters to pass it. Because of the church's involvement, several Mormons held protests and thought the church should stay away from the issue. Mormons believe that marriages performed in their temples will last for eternity, so it seems out of character for some Mormons to be upset by this initiative.

I wrote up what I wanted to be a letter to the editor, with a sardonic tone. The Salt Lake Tribune denied it and said for every letter they print, they reject 8 others. One day I checked their newspaper and all four of the letters were opposed to the church. I also sent it to the University of Utah’s Daily Utah Chronicle newspaper, but they never responded.

Packages with a white substance were sent to two Mormon temples and a Catholic printing press, but they were not toxic. A mysterious letter, without any powder, was sent to a Mormon seminary at a junior high. A Mormon church was spray painted with the ironic message that “Nobody’s born a bigot.” Comrades, welcome to Russia! I am glad the Mormon church is willing to fight for marriage, even though they are criticized and harassed for it. The California Supreme Court has agreed to listen to three challenges against the proposition. Here is the editorial I wrote:

“I was pleased to see marriage reaffirmed in California for the second time by a vote of 52%, despite the best efforts of the Mormon left to overturn it. I guess eternal marriage can still be practiced in California. Black voters supported it by 70% and still nearly unanimously voted Obama for President, a man who according to the California Democratic Party opposed the bill. Previously in 2000 the residents voted to support marriage with a tally of 61%. When will the California judges and legislators, who want to hand down moral rules from on high to the ignorant masses, catch a hint? Would that be considered fascism or theocracy? The left is obsessed with discrimination and equality, but only when it comes to physical features or wealth, not for ideas. Isn’t it a form of physical discrimination to have a relationship endorsed by the government that is limited to one sex? In Arizona a similar proposition passed with a vote of 56%, while in a previous election there was not enough support. Florida passed their amendment with 62% of the vote.”

On December 1, 2008, my letter appeared in the Standard Examiner with the title of "Left is obsessed with discrimination, equality".